The present invention relates to a vent device for a wall structure, and more specifically to a vent device for permitting the passage of air and moisture between a horizontal floor joist and a wallboard.
Problems in residential and commercial buildings often result from moisture build-up within wall structures. Accumulation of moisture within a wall structure can cause various portions of the structure to rot, and can lead to the growth of mold. It is well-known that certain types of mold have very serious health impacts on persons of all ages. The presence of mold in homes and in the work place has caused many illnesses and many lawsuits. As a result, growing attention is being given to both the remediation and prevention of mold in buildings.
Mold is typically formed in buildings by moisture that has been allowed to accumulate in the wall structure. For example, a typical residential wall structure includes a series of two inch by four inch (i.e. 2xc3x974 in.) vertical wall joists (i.e. studs) that span the length from the floor to the ceiling, and are spaced 16 inches on center. A series of horizontal wall joistsxe2x80x94also 2xc3x974 in.xe2x80x94span across the top of the vertical joists (i.e. the ceiling joists) and along the bottom of the vertical joists (i.e. the floor joists). Other horizontal joists are commonly positioned between the floor and ceiling to define areas such as door and window frames. A finished wall structure is achieved by attaching some type of wallboard onto the horizontal and vertical joists. Depending on whether the wall is intended to serve as an exterior wall or an interior wall, different wallboard materials can be used. The wallboard is typically attached directly to an underlying 2xc3x974, and can be made from a variety of suitable materials such as plasterboard, sheet rock, dry wall, stucco, and various types of wood or synthetic siding.
By attaching the wallboard directly to the wall joists, a series of separate generally sealed areas are formed between the horizontal and vertical joists and the wallboard. These sealed areas result in substantial containment of any air or water that is within the particular area. Accordingly, when moisture enters one of these areas, the moisture is not permitted to travel to another area, nor is air able to flow therein to help evaporate the moisture. The moisture typically remains in the area and forms along the surface where the horizontal joists and the wallboard adjoin, which makes this area a common location for mold problems.
This description of a residential wall structure is merely an overview of the type of wall structures common in residential and commercial construction. Many other materials and sizes of materials can, and are, used in such structures. However, in most constructions there is a problem with moisture accumulating where the wall joists and wallboards adjoin because of the lack of air and moisture flow.
Moisture often enters the inside of a wall structure from the outside environment from sources such as poorly sealed windows or doors, cracks in the wallboard, or sources such as leaking pipes. Also, depending on the climate, heat differentials between the outside temperature and inside temperature can create condensation build-up along the exterior and/or interior wall surfaces. Any source of moisture within the wall structure can lead to structural damage and mold, unless there is adequate means for the moisture to either evaporate or exit the structure.
There exists a need for a device that can be used in conjunction with existing construction and building practices to provide a means for allowing moisture and air to pass within the wall structure to prevent moisture damage and mold. More specifically, there exists a need for a device that can be used to solve the problem of moisture accumulating within the wall structure where the wall joists and wallboard adjoin.
The present invention relates to a vent device that helps overcome the problem of moisture accumulating within a wall structure. The vent device promotes air and moisture circulation within the wall structure by having a channeling plate with a plurality of vertically oriented channels. The vent device also has a support flange adjoined to the channeling plate. The vertically oriented channels define a passageway for air and water to travel along when the vent device is disposed within the wall structure.
The channeling plate also comprises a mounting surface and a venting surface facing opposite the mounting surface. The venting surface comprises the vertically extending channels. The channeling plate is adapted for being positioned between a horizontal joist and a wallboard of the wall structure. When the vent device is positioned within the wall structure, the passageways provided by the vertically oriented channels allows air and moisture to travel between the horizontal joist and the wallboard.
The vent device can include various sizes and shapes, and be made from any materials suitable for such construction.